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    1. Technologies
    2. Test & Measurement

    Microchip's new SAR ADC family enables high-speed, high-resolution conversion in harsh environments

    Related To: Microchip Technology
    Microchip031219 5c87bc2708fac
    CHANDLER, AZ—To address applications that demand higher-speed and higher-resolution analog-to-digital conversion, Microchip Technology Inc. has announced 12 new Successive Approximation Register (SAR) Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) along with a companion differential amplifier designed specifically for the new portfolio of SAR ADCs.
    Microchip031219

    Designed to operate in high temperatures and high electromagnetic environments, the MCP331x1(D)-xx family includes the industry’s only one million samples per second (Msps) fully AEC-Q100-qualified 16-bit SAR, providing the reliability required for automotive and industrial applications. The MCP6D11differential amplifier provides a low-distortion, high-accuracy interface to achieve the full performance of the ADC within systems.

    The MCP331x1(D)-xx family ranges in resolution from 12-, 14- and 16-bit, with speed options ranging from 500 kilosamples per second (ksps) to 1 Msps, allowing developers to choose the right ADC for their designs. A fixed low analog supply voltage (AVDD) of 1.8V and low-current operation (1.6 mA typical active current for 1 Msps and 1.4 mA for 500 ksps) enables this family of ADCs to have an ultra-low power consumption, while maintaining a wide input full-scale range.

    These devices support a wide digital I/O interface voltage (DVIO) range (1.7V - 5.5V) which allows it to interface with most host devices, including Microchip’s PIC32, AVR, and Arm-based microcontrollers and microprocessors. This eliminates the need for using external voltage level shifters. The MCP331x1(D)-xx family contains both single-ended and differential input voltage measurement options, enabling systems to convert the difference between any two arbitrary waveforms. Ideal for applications such as high-precision data acquisition, electric vehicle battery management, motor control and switch-mode power supplies, the AEC-Q100-qualified family provides reliable performance across harsh environments.  

    Properly interfacing a small analog signal to a high-speed, high-resolution ADC without introducing additional noise and distortion is a critical challenge. Microchip’s MCP6D11 differential amplifier is designed specifically to address this challenge, providing a low-distortion and high-accuracy interface to properly drive the ADC.

     “The ADC market and applications are pushing toward higher resolution, higher speed and higher accuracy,” said Bryan J. Liddiard, vice president of Microchip’s mixed-signal and linear business unit. “In addition, lower power consumption and smaller packaging are also tremendously important, and these products address all these demands.”

    Development Tools

    The MCP331x1D-XX Evaluation Kit is available to demonstrate the performance of the MCP331x1D-XX SAR ADC family devices. The evaluation kit includes the following:

    • MCP331x1D Evaluation Board
    • PIC32MZ EF MCU Curiosity Board for data collection
    • SAR ADC Utility PC Graphical User Interface (GUI)